of cleveland



W. WITHINGTON BROOM RAKE Feb. 25, 1930.

original Filed Nov. 11. 1926 41;, ATTORNEY, i

lrffffffffl! I Reissued Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINTEROP HOE CO., OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO BROO'M BAKE original Ng. 1,706,507,

My invention relates to broom rakes and relates particularly to broom rakes having metallic tines.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved form of broom rakes wherein like metallic strips are assembled together into a broom to provide a broom having the qualities of strength, flexibility and durability, to an exceptional degree.

Another object of my invention is to provide an' improved form of broom rake which ma be inex ensively manufactured and whlch will be urable and efficient in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of broom rake in which hand operations in the making of the rake are largely avoided.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of b-room rake having elon ated tines, of light weight and in which the exibility and resistance to fiexure are very efliciently distributed along the length `of the tines.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will Vbecome apparent by reference to the following description of an embodiment of my invention and in which description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings illustrated the said embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a broom rake embodying my invention in plan view.

Fig. 2 Shows a vertical medial sectional view of the said embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 show enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 1 -4 and 5.-5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of'a re-,enforcing element employed on the Jforegoing embodiment in blank form.

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of a ref-enforcing bar emplo ed in the foregoing embodiment.

Fig. 8 s ows a plan view of the embodiment of Fig. l, enlarged to more clearly illustrate the twist in the tines, and Fig. 9 shows a transverse seotionalview taken on the line 9-9 of Figl.

Fig. 10 'S 4ows a planyview of a clamping dated March 26, 1929, Serial No. 147,678, led November 11, 1926'. Application for reissue filed August 14, 1929.

Serial N0. 385,770.

plate employed in the said embodiment of my invention. e

Fig. 11 shows a side elevational view of a .portion of the broom rake of the foregoing figures comprising the clamping mechanism therefor, in blank form; and Fig. 12 is a side elevated view after the same has been bent.

Referring now to the different figures of thedrawin s in ,all of which like parts are designated y like reference characters, at 1, I, generall show a clamp comprising a substantially -shaped metallic plate `2having upwardly extending inturned flanges 3 adapted .to retain a top plate 4 in contact with a plurality of metallic tines 5 clamped together in a group in the clamp 1- Apertures 6 and 7 are provided in the late 2 and' grip plate 31 for the reception of ,olts 8 and 9 to.v secure the clamp 1 and tines 5 on a handle 10, which bolts pass through apertures 11 and12 provided in the handle for that purpose and are secured together by the nuts 1 3 and 14. An inwardly extending transversedetent 15 is preferably stamped in the plate V42 adapted to project into slots 16 cut inv each of the tines adjacent their handle ends to prevent their dislodgment from the clamp when the top plate has been secured in place by the inturned flanges 3. Before the tines are Atempered and before they are placed within the clamp 1 they are twisted at substantially 90 degrees upon themselves at 17' free of, but adjacent the clamp 1, to present their yflat portions 18 extending away from the handle, and to provide for .better clamping of the tines in the clamp; they are also formed with bent ends 20 to form fingers 21 before being tempered.

The tines are preferably formed from spring sheet steel, of a hardness and temper so that they will not be brittle and easilyy subject to breakage, but at the same time, so hard that the tines will be quite resi-lient, and when deflected and the deflecting pressure being removed will be restored to normal undefiected form. The dimensions of the tines will depend uponl the nature of ,usage to which the rake willb'e subjected.

By virtue oftheinclined flanges 3 andL ythe twist int the tines they extend from the clamp ilar result to the stitching i At the same timey the in a fan like formation and preferably present an arcuate end conliguration for contact with the surface to be raked.

Intermediate the ends'of vthe tines I provide a reinforcement 25 disposed at such a point that it will effectually retain the tines assembled and 'to re-enforce thetines, and at the same time being so disposed so that it will proper resiliency in the iinger ends ef the tines. The said. re-enforcement prefj effect a erably comprises an arcuate shaped strip of steel 26 having a plurality of laterally pro# jecting fingers orl flanges 27 projecting from cach side of the strip 26, at predetermined spaced intervals from end to'end.4 The lingers or iianges are so spaced apart as to provide for a'tine to be disposed between two ofthem' plied tothe tines after they have been `placed in the clamp 1 by initially bending the lingers or fiangesr27 and 29 into an upright position and inserting the strip from thefunderside of the tines so that the finger-sor flanges extend above the tines, and the lingers or flanges 29 extend beyond the outermost tines. l j

rIhe strip 80 is then placed on the tines on the opposite side from `the strip 26 and between the upstanding flanges or fingers. The strip 30 is shorter than the strip 26 and the ends thereof are disposed between the flanges or fingers 29. The rake is now placed in a power'press and the fingers or ianges 27 and 29 are simultaneously bent inwardly and se.-

curely grip thejstrips 26 and 30 and the tines 5 together insuring a rigid re-enforcement` for the'tines.

The rake is adapted to be employed on lawns, gardens, gravel walks, and thelike,

and may be` operated with a `sweeping mo tion like that effected by a person operating an ordinary broom, permitting the person to stand erect, the raking being rendered less fatiguing f y The broom rake constructed as described with tinesfbound together by the intermediately disposed re-enforcing strips and twisted intermediate the `re-enforcement and handle possesses a very desirable distribution of lresiliency, the twisted tine portions resistingdeflection more than untwisted tines could do, and the re-,enforcement accomplishing a simof ordinary brooms, in the distribution of resiliency and resistance to bending when the broom is used.

twisted tines at the handle endare capableof `being bundled to.`

' tightly again st a Aprevents displacement of the tines bent over,

"strength and get-her in a small compass, iat sides towards each other and contacting at the tine ends. Also the twisting of the tines together with the notching of the same permits the effective use of a detent such as that shown at l5, proj ecting into the notches to prevent longitudinal displacement of the tines.

The clamp for the tines, employed for the purpose of securing*` the tines toathehandle, is constructed7 as shown, to have a housing 2 with a cover 4, the cover plate 4 being held side edge of each of the tines by virtue of the inturned flanges 3 in the form of ears, which enter border notches 41, 42, 43 and 44 in the plate at its corners, the ears being then bent over the outside surface of the piate,as illustrated, to securely clamp the plate against the tines.` Fig'.` 10

shows the form of the clamping plate with `the border notches for the' reception ofthe housing clamping ears, the plate Vforated to receive a bolt 9 which is projected being perbetween a pair of intermediately disposed tines and aligned perforations through the handle at l2 and the reinforcing plate 31. rihe handle end is fiattenedon oneside, being cut away as shown at 45, to form a fiat seat 46 for the clamp housing 2, and which provision prevents rotational displacei'nent of As illustrated, I clamping elements, com- Vprising'the plate'and housingpwith a transthe clamp on the handle. provide one of the verse rib 15 which is adapted` to project in- 4wardly towards the other element, in the embodimentillustrated, the plate, and asy a detent to enter notches 16 provided ata side edge of eachr of the tines 5. The disposition of the rib l5 in the tine notches eftectually longitudinally and permits the secured ends of the ytines to be disposed in a vclamping `housing 2, as

shown, in a neat and compact manner, this being possible becausel of the right-angled twist giveneach of theitines priorto insertion of their ends in the clamping housing.

In vassembling the clamping mechanism, the converging tine ends are placed within the housing 2with their' notched sides rek ceiving the inwardly projecting tib 15 of the housing, right and projecting'in alignment with the housing sides 47 and 48. The plate 4isthen `placed over the outer edges of the tines,.as

illustrated in Fig. 3, and the flanges 3 are as shown, to retain the plate` 4 in its clamping position. The metallic material, such as mild steel, of which theclampingelements are made, is possessed of sufficient plasticity as to permit the bending over of the anges and to cause these flanges to retain their formed position after being bent. The bolts Sand 9 are then inserted in their securing positions, as illustrated.

Having thus `described myfinventionzin a the flanges 3 at suoli time being upspecic embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment herein illustrated and described, but without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: l. In a broom rake, the combination with a plurality of elongated metallic strips forming rake tines, each of the strips divergingly extending from the handle and bundled togetherl at their handle ends with their flat sides brought togther, each' of the tines being notched adjacent its handle end, all of the notches being in substantial alignment when the tines are hunched, and a clamp for'the f hunched tine ends embracing the same and comprising a metallic enclosure with an inwardly extending rib projected within the tine notches, and securing means to secure the clamp to the handle.

2. In a broom rake, the combination with a handle of a plurality of elongated metallic strips forming rake tines divergently extending from the handle and bundled together at their converged ends with the adjacent flat sides of adjacent tines disposed in opposition, each of the tines being notched, a clamp carrried by the handle embracing the bunched tine ends comprising a metallic enclosure, and key means for the enclosure projected within the tine notches to prevent longitudinal movement of the tines within the clamp. 3. In a broom rake, the combination with a handle of a plurality of elongated metallic strips forming rake tines divergently extending from the handle and bundled together at their converged ends with the adjacent flat sides of adjacent tines disposed in opposition, each of the tines being notched, a clamp carried by the handle embracing the bunched tine ends comprising a metallic enclosure, and key means for the enclosure proj ected within the tine notches to prevent longitudinal movement of the tines within the clamp, said clamp comprising a box having a side, said key means being integrally projected from said side.

4. In a broom rake, the combination with a handle of a plurality of elongated metallic strips forming rake tines, each having a half twist intermediate its ends, divergently extending rom the handle and bundled together at their converged ends with the adjacent flat sides of adjacent tines disposed in opposition, a clamp carried by the handle embracing the bunched tine ends, and said bunched tine ends and clamp being interlocked to prevent longitudinal movement of the tines within the clamp. 6U In witness whereof I hereunto ailix my signature this 17th day of July, 1929.

WINTHROP WITHINGTON. 

